Student Book Review: 'The Report Card' by Andrew Clements

Nick

"Come on, Nora. I showed you my report card. I want to see if I beat you in math. Let me see what you got. Come on."

This is a quote from the very beginning of Andrew Clements' realistic fiction book, The Report Card. Steven is anxious to see Nora's report card, and she won't show it to him. Nora doesn't let Steven see the report card because she got all D's on purpose.

She deliberately does poorly to show Steven and teachers that grades don't really matter. What's really under this failing student is a very bright girl who knows everything. When her parents find out, they get so excited that their girl is a genius, but she only wants to be a normal kid.

Then Nora and Steve try to get other kids involved to make a point to everyone. After that happens, it becomes a huge deal, bigger than Nora really wants it to be.

People really do take test scores too seriously, and every score has to count. It gets overwhelming with all the tests kids get. The Report Card is a good book because it takes a topic that a lot of parents worry about and makes it a fun book to read. Clements uses humor, and the story is a quick read.